Elevator-door mechanism



-Dec. .25, 1.928.

, 1,696,327 A. J. ROSENTRETER ELEVATOR DOOR MECHANISM Filed Feb.- l2,'1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jigf,

BY 2 a l ATTORNEY Dec. 25, 1928;

I VA. J. ROSENTREFER ELEVATOR DooR MEQHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.l2, 1926 BY f ATTQRNEY i Patented Dec. 25, 192.8. l Y

UNITED STATESA PATENT oFFlcE.

ALBERTI; BOSENT'BETER, OF BOONTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO EDGAR ZABRI-BRIE, OF'MAPLEWUOD, NEW JERSEY, AND FRANK E. HUTCHINS, OF NEW YORK,

. `ELEVATOR-DOOR MECHANISM.

This invention relates to improvements in elevator door mechanisms andhas particular reference vto nonreversing mechanisms for sliding doors.

In order to promote safety in the operation of elevators, it isnecessary that each.

of the doors at the various landings be completely closed while theelevator is at some other landing. Serious accidents have been caused byirresponsible people opening elevator doors from the outside While theeleva tor `was not in position Ato receive passengers or the likethrough that particular door. Although a number ofpractical lockingmeans as such have been devised, there is a possibility of carelessnesson the part of the elevator operator which sometimes leads to leavingthe door in a partly closed position. Vith the present invention, thepossibilities of tampering with the door from the outside are reduced toa minimum, by requiring that the door be fully closed before it can bereopened.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an elevatordoor with a non-reversing mechanlsm which will practically eliminate thepossibility of opening the door from the exterior of the elevator shaft.

Another object is to provide such a device which will require the doorto be moved through its full limit of motion in closing it before `itcan be reopened. y,

Another object is to provide such a device which will be simple in`construct-ion, strong and durable in service, economical to manufacture,and an improvement in the art.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription taken 1n connection with the accompanying drawings, whereina referred embodiment of the invention iss own by Way of illustration.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of an elevator doorequipped with the non-reversing mechanism of this invention,

l the door being shown in closed position;

Figure 2 is a View similarto Figure 1 and showing the `door partlyopened;

Figure 3 is anenlarged detail elevation of the non-reversing mechanism;

Figure 4 is a horizontal, sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 3,

Vend pivoted as at 17. to

showing the relative positions of the` parts as the door is commencingto open;

Figure G is a view similar to Figure 5 after the` parts of thenon-reversing me--v chanism have become disengaged; and

Figure Tis another view similar to Figure 5, showing the action of thenon-rcversing mechanism. in holding the door against re* versal at anintermediate position.

In the drawings, the reference character 10 designates a slidingelevator door of any ordinary or preferred construction, and 1l is theusual panelcd door or stationary wall. Secured to 'the inner surface ofthe door l() is a mounting plate 12 whichmay be held by screws 13 orother `suitable fastening elements, and pivoted tothe mounting plate bymeansof a bolt 14 is a door opening lever 15. The lever 15 is providedwith a handgrip 1G at one of its ends and has its other a toggle link orthe like 18, to which, if desired, may be con-v nected a check mechanism19 suchas disclosed in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,487,027,issued March 18, 1924. The

lever 15 and link 18 are preferably so proportioned and assembled as .tobe in horizontal alinement when the door is fully closed, as shown inFigure 1.

Inorder to revent reversal of movement of the door wit iin certainlimits of its travel, aratchet member 20 is pivotally mounted upon theplate 12 for actuation by and with the lever 15, said ratchet memberhavingV a plurality of teeth 2l arcuately disposed upon one of itsedges. Also, pivoted as at 22, upon the plate 12 is a pawl 23 which isshown in the drawings as having a T-shaped body with a pointed nose 24:for engagement with the teeth 21 on the ratchet. The depending portion25 of the pawl 23 serves as a balance weight so that the Vpawlwillnormally maintain a position as shownin Figures 3 and 6, and it is freeto move about its pivot 22 under the force of gravity.

`Then the door l0 is in its closed position as shown in Figure 1, thepawl 23 and ratchet 2() are out of engagement. As the lever 15 isactuated by theelevator operator to open the door l0, it moves in adirection indicated by the arrow A in Figure `5,

upwardly to a positionshown in Figure 5 to permit passage ot the ratchetby the pawl. The movement and Athe disposition of the ratchet and pawlare preferably such that when they are in mesh during the opening of thedoor, it cannot be closed until such a range of opening movement of thedoor is ell'ectuated as to carry the ratchet out of mesh with the pawl.This is because of the fact that the ratchet and pavvl bind andautomatically lock the door if an attempt is made to close the doorwhile the pawl is rocked in the manner shown in Fig.

5. lVhen the opening movement of the door is continued so that theratchet EZ() moves beyond the influence of the pawl 23, as shown inFigure 6, lthe pawl swings about its pivot 22 to assume its normalposition.

In closing the door the operation is similar but in a reverse direction,and, in view of the factthat the `pawl 23 is tree to move in eitherdirection` about its pivot Q2, the

nose 24; ot the pawl will he moved downwardly by the ratchet 20, asshown in Fig ure 7. When the non-reversing mechanism is in thisposition, the door is almost entirely closed, and any attempt atreversing the movement ,to reopen the door will be stopped by the pawl23 automatically locking with the teeth 2l of the ratchet. In order toreopen the door it is, therefore, necessary that the door be completelyclosed so that the lever l5y assumes its original horizontal positionand the ratchet 2() passes entirely beyond engagement with the pawl 23.

It when the door is. in an open position a sudden and strong movementshould be imparted to the operating lever 15, the pawl 23 would have atendency to swiner completely about its pivot and this would preventproper engagement of the nose ot the pawl .with the teeth of theratchet. Therefore, in order to prevent overthrow of the pawl, a stoppin 2G extends outwardly from the surface of the plate l2 and is sodisposed as to prevent passage of the depending portion 25 of the pawl.

From ,the foregoing, it will be evident that a non-reversmg mechanismfor elevator doors has been provided which is of eX- treme simplicityand which will be thoroughly dependable in use. By its use iinproperopening of the elevator door, by 1rresponsible people, from the outsideot the shaft will not be possible. The invention is of coursesusceptible ot modilication, and the right is herein reserved to makechanges in the form, proportions, and arrangement of parts, beinglimited only by the scope ot the appended claims.` i

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim is:

l. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with asliding door having means for inovinglthe same to open or closedpositiomof means bodily movable with 'the door to prevent reversal ofmovement of the `door in an intermediate position during its movement ineitherH direction.

2. In a mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination with asliding door having means for moving the same to o )en or closedposition, of pawl and rate 1ct mechanism movable with the door and`cooperating to prevent its reverse movement from an intermediateposition during its movement to either open or closed position.

3. In a mechanismot the character dcscribed, the combination with aslidingr door, of a lever pivoted to the door and adapted to slide thesame in either direction, a ratchet movable with the pivoted lever, anda pawl pivoted on the door to engage the i 1 ratchet, whereby to permitthe continuons travel of the door in either direction and to prevent itsreversal at intermediate points near the closing end of its travel.

a. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with asliding door, of a lever pivoted to the door and adapted to slide thesame in either direction, a ratchet pivoted with the lever and mov abletherewith, and a pawl pivoted on the door to engage the ratchet duringthe move ment of the door, said pawi and ratchet being out of engagementwhen the door is in either of its extreme positions whereby to swing thepawl to permit passage of the ratchet in either direction, and the pawlpreventing reverse movement of the ratchet. from an intermediate pointat the closing end of the doors travel.

5. A non-reversingmechanism for elevator doorscomprising a ratchet, anda grav ity actuated pavvl pivotedfto swing in either direction whereby..to alternately act upon the pawl in opposite directions, said pawl andratchet being mounted for relative movement as an elevator door ismoved, and being out of engagement with each other when the door is ineither of its extreme positions. p y

6. A non-reversing mechanism for sliding doors, comprising dooroperating means, and, in combination therewith, means` for automaticallylocking such operating means against movementin a direction reverse to amovement oit the operating means in a given direction, such' lockingmeans comprising interengaging members respectively en the door and thedoor operatingmeans, and acting only intermediately of the ends of themovements of the operating means.

ALBERT J. ROSENTRETER.

